Clinics

The Duke Legal Clinics allow students to build an experiential bridge between law school and practice. Operating collectively as a public interest law firm with eleven distinct practice areas and housed in its own wing of the law school, the Duke Legal Clinics provide students challenging opportunities to deepen their substantive legal knowledge, strengthen their lawyering skills, and build their professional identities.

As they represent clients from the Durham community and beyond, clinical students benefit from close guidance from clinical faculty and supervising lawyers. Building on traditions established in the 1930s, when Dean Justin Miller established Duke's first legal clinic (one of the first in the country), the Duke Legal Clinics combine the development of skills and knowledge with service to the community in ways that strengthen students' legal education and prepare them for leadership in the law and beyond.

Practice areas

Preparing and presenting appeals in appellate cases filed by parties not represented by counsel.

Children's Law Clinic
One of the few programs in North Carolina with expertise in special education and school discipline law.

Civil Justice Clinic
A unique partnership between Duke Law and Legal Aid of North Carolina (LANC) that enables students to work directly with clients represented by LANC's Durham office on civil matters such as housing disputes and benefit claims.

Community Enterprise Clinic
A resource for non-profit organizations and low-wealth entrepreneurs working to improve quality of life in low-wealth communities through community economic development strategies.

Environmental Law and Policy Clinic
The clinic represents nonprofit organizations involved in conflicts related to water quality, air quality, natural resources conservation, and environmental justice.

Guantanamo Defense Clinic
The clinic plays a key role in framing legal challenges to Guantanamo detentions and military commission proceedings.

HIV/AIDS Policy Clinic
The clinic focuses on policy research and advocacy for issues of importance to people living with HIV/AIDS and those at risk.

Health Justice Clinic
A law office devoted to issues important to people with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other critical or chronic illnesses.

International Human Rights Clinic
Students critically engage with human rights issues, strategies, tactics, institutions, and law in both domestic and international settings.

Start-Up Ventures Clinic
The clinic represents a range of early-stage business and social entrepreneurship ventures on matters related to the startup process.